AONTAS STAR Awards

1. What is the Adult Learners' Festival?

The Adult Learners' Festival is a nationwide celebration of adult learning coordinated by AONTAS, the National Adult Learning Organisation. Over the past decade, the Festival has become a firm fixture on the adult learning calendar with events taking place nationwide. The 2019 Adult Learners' Festival took place from the 4th - 8th March 2019.

2. What are the STAR Awards?

The STAR Awards are an awards initiative coordinated by AONTAS as part of the annual Adult Learners' Festival to acknowledge the fantastic work undertaken by adult learning initiatives throughout Ireland. The awards celebrate the positive contribution that these initiatives make to our society, our economy and our local communities.

3. Who can nominate a project?

Nominated Initiatives are welcome from all groups, throughout Ireland, as long as they focus on adult and community education and demonstrate innovative approaches to adult learning within their relevant category. If you have any questions about the nomination process please contact us on 01 4068220.

4. What are the judges looking for?

The following bullet points are examples of what can make a winning initiative. It is recommended that nominated initiatives try to demonstrate a variety of these:

Learner centred approach – the learner should be at the core of the initiative

Learner choice - Learners should be supported to make informed choices regarding what, and how, they learn

Transformative learning - show how being involved in learning has helped the participants to make a change to their lives and that of their community

5. Who judges the STAR Awards?

The independent STAR Awards Judging Panel includes representation from a number of key stakeholders in the adult and community education sector in Ireland.

6. Why should I nominate an initiative for a STAR Award?

It is important that we continue to showcase the value of adult and community education in responding to the needs of individuals, communities, society and the economy. The work of the adult learning sector is often invisible, and the STAR Awards are the perfect opportunity to highlight the value of adult learning to a variety of audiences - politicians, media and the wider public and to help spread the voice and visibility of adult learning.

7. When will the nominations be open for the 2020 AONTAS STAR Awards?

Nominations will open in the autumn of 2020. Details can be found through www.aontas.com and our social media channels. For more information please contact Barry Dolan, Communications and Events Officer at: bdolan@aontas.com

4. What are the categories?

A STAR Award will be given for innovative approaches in adult learning. Categories are:

Adult Learning Initiatives that Support Health and Wellbeing

Adult Learning Initiatives that Support Third Level Access and Engagement